Bullet deflector



p 1944. F. J. TRUMPOUR 8, 4

BULLET DEFLECTOR Filed Aug. 9, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l p 1944- F. J. TRUMPOUR 2,358,364

BULLET DEFLECTOR Filed Aug. '9, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 19, 1944 s we 2,358,364. BULLET DEFLECTOR I 6 Claims. (01. 89-1) ('Granted under theact of March 3, 1883,"as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described herein, if patented, may bemanufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental the payment of any royalty thereon. I

This'invention relates to a bullet collector or guide, and more particularly to means to reduce the. firing hazard on ranges of limited extent, due to wild and ricochet shots when targeting airship machine guns or preliminary ground firing ofrecruits. with either machine guns, rifles or pistols.

An important object of this invention is to provide a bullet collector or guide which, by its construction, is adapted to dissipate the energy, as well as decrease the angles of deflection, of the bullet as it leaves the machine gun, rifle or pistol.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bullet catcher or guide that will tend not only to cause a loss of energy to the" bullet, but will also tend to guide its course parallel to the center line of the guide.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bullet collector or guide that is simple, dependable and easy to manufacture and, at the same time, one having a flexibility for moving it and using it on different ranges and with different arms.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists of features of construction, arrangement and operation of parts which will appear in the specification and be finally pointed out in the claims.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown, it will be understood that slight changes in form and minor details of construc tion may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, and fall beyond the scope of the claims.

Referring now to the drawings, in which similar characters and references in the several figures indicate identical parts:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in position with respect to the machine guns of an airplane.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same.

purposes without Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 44 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of hinged plate l9.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a portion of the sections showing the connector used to connect the sections of the apparatus as a unit, in elevation.

Reference now being made to the drawings.

by numeral, Ill indicates the bullet collector or guide embodying preferred features of the invention, mounted in position with respect to the machine guns llof an airplane l2 on.a moveable support l3.

The assembled collector or guide I0 consists" of a metal truncated conical tube [4 which may consist or two or more sections l5, each section being reinforced around its outer perimeter I6 by a metal angular ring ll. The rear edge of the tube [4 is flanged at 18 to engage the angle of the adjacent section 15. 'Each section l5 has bullet-proof steel plates l9 arranged on the interior circumference and these plates are hinged at their rear edges by means of a hinge pin 20, in such a manner that the surface of the plates I9 makes a constant angle with the center line of the collector or guide 50. Secured against the-surface of the metal angular ring I! by means of the hinge pin20 is a U shaped con-'- nector 2!, by means of which the sections of the apparatus are connected as a unit by 'any well-known securing means.

The outer edges l9-a of the plates [9 form the same size circle as the forward end of the tube 14. The plates are held in position by means of connectors 22, which are connected to the plates l9 by means of a swivel or universal joint 23. Connectors 22 pass through openings 24 in tube I4 and are adapted to be received in angular flanged ring 25 rigidly secured to tube I4. The connectors 22 are threaded at their outer ends to, receive a nut 26. A coil spring 21 surrounds the connector 22 and places tension on the plates l9, depending upon the amount the nut 26 is rotated downward on the connector 22. This permits adjustments for varying amounts of tension that may be required to control the movement of the plates.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

When it is desired to fire a gun of any calibre, the muzzle of the gun is held or placed five or six feet from the large end of the guide or collector and aimed on the target through the guide by firing through the guide or collector; any shot entering the guide that is not on the center line of the guide prolonged into the target will strike the hinged plates l9 placed around the inside perimeter guide. Part of the energy will thereby be dissipated in moving the plates struck against the tension of the spring 21 and the angle of deflection of the bullet will be decreased due to the angular change of the plate movement.

These dissipations of energy and decreasing of angles of deflection will cause a loss of energy of the bullet and tend to guide the course of the bullet parallel to the center line of the collector or guide;

'It is evident that with a multiplicity of sections I with the corresponding inner plates 19 of each section I5, the bullet energy may be entirely absorbed and the bullet would not pass out of the small end of the tube [4 of the guide In.

Experiments and tests will be required to determine the minimum length of the guide or collector and the number of sections that would be required to meet the safety provisions imposed, depending upon the size of the gun and the velocity of the bullet.

The invention, therefore, exemplifies a guide or collector that can b used to advantage on ranges of limited extent whereinthe safety feature is of paramount importance.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A bullet deflector or guide comprising a truncated conical tube through which a gun can be aimed and fired at a target, two or more sections adapted to be connected to'said conical tube, bullet-proof plates connected to the inner perimeter of said sections for dissipating the energy and decreasing the angles of deflection of the bullet, tensioning means connected to said plates and said conical tube for regulating the movement of said plates when struck by a' bullet,

and means connected to said tube for supporting said bullet deflector or guide.

2. A bullet deflector or guide comprising a truncated conical tubethrough which a gun can be aimed or fired at av target two or more sections adapted to be connected to saidconical ed to said tube for movably supporting said bullet deflector or guide.

3. A bullet deflector or guide comprising a. tube through which a gun maybe aimed and fired at a target, a plurality of deflector sections connected to the interior of the tube and comprising a plurality of hinged truncated independently movable plates which when placed closely edge to edge form a hollow truncated cone, and

spring means for maintaining said lates in normal edge to edge position.

4. A bullet deflector or guide comprising a truncated conical, tube through which a gunmay be aimed and fired at a target, a plurality of sece tions connected to said tube and shaped to form a continuation of the Wall of the rear portion of said tube, bullet proof deflector plates extending downwardly and forwardly and hingedly connected to the inner perimeter of said sections for dissipating the energy and decreasing the angle of deflection of bullets'fired through said tube.

5. The invention of claim 4, characterized in that there is spring means engaging the deflector plates to hold them yieldingly in the path of travel of a bullet fired through the tube.

6. A bullet deflector or guide comprising a tube through which a gun may be aimed and fired, a truncated hollow deflector cone supported in said tube with its small end directed to the forward end of the tube, said cone being formed of a plurality of truncated plates placed closely in edge to edge position and spring mean normally maintaining said plates in such position. e

FREDERICK J. TRUMPOUR. 

